HV ENERGY STORAGE DEVICE

Abstract

An HV energy storage device for a motor vehicle as well as a method for operating the HV energy storage device.

Claims

1. An HV energy storage device for a motor vehicle, comprising: two or more battery modules connected in series, wherein a multiway switching element is arranged between every two battery modules and is configured to optionally connect the two battery modules with one another electrically, to bypass one of the two battery modules, or to bypass both battery modules.

2. The HV energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein the multiway switching element comprises at least one pyrotechnic short-circuit element, which is configured to ignite and cause the multiway switching element to bypass both battery modules in the event of a motor vehicle accident.

3. The HV energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein the multiway switching element comprises five tubular sockets, arranged flush with one another, having terminals, in which a conductive cylinder, which is configured to connect two adjacent sockets with one another in an electrically conductive manner, is arranged so as to move.

4. The HV energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein the multiway switching element comprises two contactors having a currentless, electrically isolated middle position.

5. The HV energy storage device according to claim 3, wherein a pyrotechnic short-circuit element is configured, in the event of a motor vehicle accident, to move the conductive cylinder into a position in which it connects two sockets to one another in an electrically conductive manner, the terminals of which are each connected to a pole of the HV energy storage device.

6. The HV energy storage device according to claim 4, wherein a pyrotechnic short-circuit element is configured, in the event of a motor vehicle accident, to connect two terminals, of the multiway switching element, each being connected to a pole of the HV energy storage device, to each other in an electrically conductive manner.

7. The HV energy storage device according to claim 1 having a battery junction box arranged in the middle of the HV energy storage device.

8. The method for operating an HV energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein, in the event of failure of a battery module, the multiway switching element bypasses it automatically, particularly reversibly and without interruption.

9. The method for operating an HV energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein the multiway switching element bypasses both battery modules automatically in the event of a motor vehicle accident.

10. The method for operating an HV energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein the multiway switching element initially reversibly bypasses one of the two battery modules during a charging process of the HV energy storage device until it is completely charged, and then reversibly bypasses the other battery module until it is fully charged, and subsequently connects both battery modules back to one another electrically.

11. The HV energy storage device according to claim 2, wherein the multiway switching element comprises five tubular sockets, arranged flush with one another, having terminals, in which a conductive cylinder, which is configured to connect two adjacent sockets with one another in an electrically conductive manner, is arranged so as to move.

12. The HV energy storage device according to claim 2, wherein the multiway switching element comprises two contactors having a currentless, electrically isolated middle position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0036] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are schematically shown in the drawings by means of embodiments and are described schematically and extensively with reference to the drawings. The following are shown:

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of the HV energy storage device according to the invention;

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a different embodiment of the HV energy storage device according to the invention;

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of the HV energy storage device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of the HV energy storage device 10 according to the invention. The HV energy storage device 10 comprises two battery modules, 11 and 12, which are connected in series. A multiway switching element 13 with five terminals 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 is located between the battery modules 11, 12. Terminal 15 is connected to the negative pole of battery module 12, and terminal 16 is connected to the positive pole of battery module 11. The remaining terminals 14, 17, 18 are connected to bypass lines 19, 20. A contact element 21 in the multiway switching element 13 establishes, depending on the position, an electrically conductive connection between two of terminals 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. In a first position I, the contact element 21 connects, as shown in the drawing, terminals 15 and 16 and thus establishes a series connection of battery modules 11 and 12. In the event of failure of battery module 11, the contact element 21 is moved into a second position II, in which it connects terminals 14 and 15. Battery module 12 can continue to provide or store electrical energy via the bypass line 19 so that the entire HV energy system does not fail. In the event of failure of battery module 12, the contact element 21 is moved into a third position III, in which it connects terminals 16 and 17. Battery module 11 can continue to provide or store electrical energy via the bypass line 20 so that the entire HV energy system does not fail. In a fourth position IV, the contact element 21 connects terminals 17 and 18, whereby both battery modules 11, 12 and thus the entire HV energy storage device are bypassed.

[0041] In a special embodiment of the multiway switching element, which is shown in FIG. 2, the terminals 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 are each connected to a tubular socket 22 with spring elements as known from the sockets of electrical plugs. Five of these sockets 22 are arranged in the multiway switching element 13 flush above one another and thus form a cylindrical channel in which a conductive cylinder is arranged as a movable contact element 21 and connects two adjacent sockets 22 with one another electrically. The multiway switching element 13 further comprises a pyrotechnic element 23, which ignites in the event of a crash and conveys the conductive cylinder into the bottommost position IV such that both banks (battery modules 11, 12) of the HV energy storage device 10 are electrically isolated and the DC bus circuit is short-circuited and/or instantly discharged.

[0042] FIG. 3 schematically shows a further embodiment of the HV energy storage device 10 according to the invention with two battery modules, 11 and 12, connected in series. A multiway switching element 13 comprising two contactors 31 with a currentless electrically isolated middle position is arranged between the battery modules 11, 12. The switchover, isolation, and short-circuit functions in this embodiment are implemented with contactors 31 having a currentless, completely electrically isolated middle position and thus providing a switchover function instead of a pure switch-on function. In addition, the multiway switching element 13 comprises a pyrotechnic short-circuit element 32, which electrically isolates the HV energy storage device and short-circuits the DC bus circuit of the vehicle while the contactors are still open.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0043] 10 HV Energy storage device [0044] 11 Battery module [0045] 12 Battery module [0046] 13 Multiway switching element [0047] 14 Terminal [0048] 15 Terminal [0049] 16 Terminal [0050] 17 Terminal [0051] 18 Terminal [0052] 19 Bypass line [0053] 20 Bypass line [0054] 21 Contact element [0055] 22 Socket with spring element [0056] 23 Pyrotechnic element [0057] 31 Contactor with currentless electrically isolated middle position [0058] 32 Pyrotechnic short-circuit element